1. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-State Tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
What is a Clinical Laboratory Technician?
A Clinical Laboratory Technician collects and performs tests on a number of organic samples, such as body fluids or tissue, and then files the results. The job can be very versatile in its many tasks, depending on what kind of a laboratory the technician works in.
They might analyze blood for blood banks, do research, contribute to understanding a patient's medical issues, work and improve upon the clinic's technology by maintaining and testing it, test new medicine, and so on.
While some employers look for at least an Associate's degree, a typical entry-level technician has a Bachelor's degree in Biology, Chemistry, or a related science subject.
What Does a Clinical Laboratory Technician Do
Medical laboratory technologists (commonly known as medical laboratory scientists) and medical laboratory technicians collect samples and perform tests to analyze body fluids, tissue, and other substances.
How To Become a Clinical Laboratory Technician
Medical laboratory technologists typically need a bachelor’s degree. Technicians usually need an associate’s degree or a postsecondary certificate. Some states require technologists and technicians to be licensed.
Clinical Laboratory Technician Career Paths
In addition to switching up your job search, it might prove helpful to look at a career path for your specific job. Now, what's a career path you ask? Well, it's practically a map that shows how you might advance from one job title to another. Our career paths are especially detailed with salary changes. So, for example, if you started out with the role of clinical laboratory scientist you might progress to a role such as laboratory manager eventually. Later on in your career, you could end up with the title operations manager.
Clinical Laboratory Technician
Operations Manager
7 Years
Laboratory Director
9 Years
Center Manager
6 Years
Plant Manager
11 Years
Practice Manager
9 Years
Site Manager
7 Years
Show More
Average Salary for a Clinical Laboratory Technician
Clinical Laboratory Technicians in America make an average salary of $50,756 per year or $24 per hour. The top 10 percent makes over $70,000 per year, while the bottom 10 percent under $36,000 per year.
Average Clinical Laboratory Technician Salary
$50,756 Yearly$24.40 hourly
What Am I Worth?
Roles and Types of Clinical Laboratory Technician
The role of a clinical laboratory technician includes a wide range of responsibilities. These responsibilities can vary based on an individual's specific job, company, or industry.Here are some general clinical laboratory technician responsibilities:
- Performs analyses on blood, tissue, and body fluids to aid health care providers in the diagnosis, prognosis,
- To have good knowledge of qc. To start up instruments in chemistry, hematology
- Receive specimens for testing; evaluate specimens
There are several types of clinical laboratory technician, including:
Laboratory Technician
Role:
As a laboratory technician, you get to do all the nitty gritty work, like collecting samples. But you also get to study and take part in conducting tests. So it's not all nitty gritty, at least.
The majority of your day as a laboratory technician will be spent in a lab, surrounded by bodily fluids, chemicals, and organic matter. If any of that makes you squirmish just thinking about it, then it's not too late to turn back.
Employers prefer that you have a bachelor's degree before pursuing a position as a laboratory tech, but associate degrees are also welcome. Before you start, you'll need to rack up a few years of experience in lab work. It probably wouldn't be a good thing if you blew up the lab on your first day.
The majority of your day as a laboratory technician will be spent in a lab, surrounded by bodily fluids, chemicals, and organic matter. If any of that makes you squirmish just thinking about it, then it's not too late to turn back.
Employers prefer that you have a bachelor's degree before pursuing a position as a laboratory tech, but associate degrees are also welcome. Before you start, you'll need to rack up a few years of experience in lab work. It probably wouldn't be a good thing if you blew up the lab on your first day.
- Average Salary: $40,038
- Degree: Bachelor's Degree
Medical Technologist
Role:
If you have ever watched the medical TV series Grey's Anatomy, the medical technologist is the person who the doctors go to when they request a lab test. They are the hidden superstars, conducting medical laboratory tests and analysis, providing physicians with information for preventing, diagnosing, and treating disease.
The medical technologist is involved in processing clinical samples, performing laboratory procedures, undertaking bench work, assessing supplies and reagents as well as managing inventory control systems. Besides that, they also assist in ensuring quality control in data and testing results.
A medical technologist is required to have a bachelor's degree that is medical or science-related as well as at least one year of clinical laboratory experience. They earn, on average, $24 per hour. This role suits an individual who enjoys conducting laboratory research and being a vital support role for healthcare personnel.
The medical technologist is involved in processing clinical samples, performing laboratory procedures, undertaking bench work, assessing supplies and reagents as well as managing inventory control systems. Besides that, they also assist in ensuring quality control in data and testing results.
A medical technologist is required to have a bachelor's degree that is medical or science-related as well as at least one year of clinical laboratory experience. They earn, on average, $24 per hour. This role suits an individual who enjoys conducting laboratory research and being a vital support role for healthcare personnel.
- Average Salary: $53,249
- Degree: Bachelor's Degree
Medical Laboratory Technician
Role:
Medical lab technicians work behind the scenes, in hospitals, clinics, or pharmaceutical laboratories, doing the legwork for medical research. Following the lead of a physician or technologist, they perform trials and tests to improve diagnosis methods and treatments of diseases.
They analyze microorganisms and every possible cell, tissue, and fluid found in the human body, using sophisticated equipment. By inspecting enzymes and proteins, they can tell if major organs are working correctly. They examine blood and look for bacteria, fungus, parasites, and the like. Doctors rely on their findings when concluding a diagnosis.
Qualified medical technicians are in high demand currently, which is only growing, with an expected increase of 13% until 2026. In order to apply for a position, you need to hold a degree or obtain certification. There are vocational courses where you can learn necessary laboratory technologies and skills, or you can complete a university course in biomedical science of biotechnology.
They analyze microorganisms and every possible cell, tissue, and fluid found in the human body, using sophisticated equipment. By inspecting enzymes and proteins, they can tell if major organs are working correctly. They examine blood and look for bacteria, fungus, parasites, and the like. Doctors rely on their findings when concluding a diagnosis.
Qualified medical technicians are in high demand currently, which is only growing, with an expected increase of 13% until 2026. In order to apply for a position, you need to hold a degree or obtain certification. There are vocational courses where you can learn necessary laboratory technologies and skills, or you can complete a university course in biomedical science of biotechnology.
- Average Salary: $51,780
- Degree: Associate Degree
States With The Most Clinical Laboratory Technician Jobs
Mouse over a state to see the number of active clinical laboratory technician jobs in each state. The darker areas on the map show where clinical laboratory technicians earn the highest salaries across all 50 states.
Average Salary: Job Openings:
Number Of Clinical Laboratory Technician Jobs By State
| Rank | State | Number of Jobs | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 7,811 | $68,991 |
| 2 | Texas | 5,500 | $49,038 |
| 3 | Florida | 5,431 | $38,358 |
| 4 | New York | 4,589 | $58,323 |
| 5 | Pennsylvania | 3,533 | $46,856 |
| 6 | Illinois | 2,939 | $46,777 |
| 7 | Ohio | 2,786 | $42,915 |
| 8 | North Carolina | 2,711 | $40,259 |
| 9 | New Jersey | 2,576 | $55,267 |
| 10 | Georgia | 2,531 | $42,243 |
| 11 | Michigan | 2,408 | $44,864 |
| 12 | Virginia | 2,082 | $48,103 |
| 13 | Massachusetts | 2,019 | $57,805 |
| 14 | Washington | 1,986 | $59,832 |
| 15 | Indiana | 1,911 | $43,244 |
| 16 | Arizona | 1,866 | $60,872 |
| 17 | Minnesota | 1,834 | $52,852 |
| 18 | Tennessee | 1,752 | $44,526 |
| 19 | Maryland | 1,647 | $47,998 |
| 20 | Wisconsin | 1,522 | $49,300 |
| 21 | Colorado | 1,488 | $51,329 |
| 22 | Missouri | 1,436 | $46,873 |
| 23 | South Carolina | 1,270 | $39,826 |
| 24 | Oregon | 1,128 | $54,223 |
| 25 | Iowa | 1,006 | $45,605 |
| 26 | Connecticut | 952 | $51,854 |
| 27 | Kentucky | 931 | $41,758 |
| 28 | Louisiana | 916 | $56,249 |
| 29 | Alabama | 896 | $42,890 |
| 30 | Kansas | 806 | $47,681 |
| 31 | Utah | 796 | $56,485 |
| 32 | Oklahoma | 795 | $43,088 |
| 33 | Arkansas | 573 | $43,416 |
| 34 | Nevada | 566 | $61,255 |
| 35 | Maine | 535 | $55,151 |
| 36 | Nebraska | 499 | $48,478 |
| 37 | Mississippi | 473 | $45,682 |
| 38 | New Mexico | 466 | $48,973 |
| 39 | New Hampshire | 445 | $58,873 |
| 40 | West Virginia | 430 | $55,949 |
| 41 | Idaho | 391 | $53,737 |
| 42 | Rhode Island | 355 | $56,206 |
| 43 | South Dakota | 319 | $46,098 |
| 44 | Montana | 303 | $51,118 |
| 45 | Alaska | 300 | $76,388 |
| 46 | North Dakota | 293 | $50,109 |
| 47 | Delaware | 262 | $53,202 |
| 48 | Vermont | 246 | $56,380 |
| 49 | Hawaii | 223 | $61,079 |
| 50 | Wyoming | 125 | $50,633 |
Top Colleges for Clinical Laboratory Technicians
2. Ohio State University
Columbus, OH • Private
In-State Tuition
$10,726
Enrollment
45,769
3. Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA • Private
In-State Tuition
$18,454
Enrollment
40,108
4. University of Vermont
Burlington, VT • Private
In-State Tuition
$18,276
Enrollment
10,612
5. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-State Tuition
$7,182
Enrollment
16,205
6. University of Connecticut
Storrs, CT • Private
In-State Tuition
$15,730
Enrollment
18,830
7. University of New Hampshire
Durham, NH • Private
In-State Tuition
$18,499
Enrollment
12,668
8. SUNY Stony Brook
Stony Brook, NY • Private
In-State Tuition
$9,625
Enrollment
17,407
9. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-State Tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
10. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-State Tuition
$6,410
Enrollment
31,321
Choose From 10+ Customizable Clinical Laboratory Technician Resume templates
Zippia allows you to choose from different easy-to-use Clinical Laboratory Technician templates, and provides you with expert advice. Using the templates, you can rest assured that the structure and format of your Clinical Laboratory Technician resume is top notch. Choose a template with the colors, fonts & text sizes that are appropriate for your industry.
Clinical Laboratory Technician Demographics
Clinical Laboratory Technician Gender Distribution
Female
66%
Male
35%
After extensive research and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
- Among clinical laboratory technicians, 65.5% of them are women, while 34.5% are men.
- The most common race/ethnicity among clinical laboratory technicians is White, which makes up 53.3% of all clinical laboratory technicians.
- The most common foreign language among clinical laboratory technicians is Spanish at 45.5%.
Online Courses For Clinical Laboratory Technician That You May Like
Advertising Disclosure
1. Teaching in University Science Laboratories (Developing Best Practice)
This course is developed to improve the effectiveness of laboratory classes in higher education. It aims to support teachers to improve their teaching skills for active learning in university science laboratory courses. It will show you how laboratory sessions can differ with respect to their aim and expected learning outcomes, how to engage students for learning and how to cope with their different levels of pre-knowledge and experience and probe their understanding. Last but not least it will...
See More on Coursera2. Blood Film Morphology - A Practical Guide
This is a unique online course which teaches students the basics of blood film analysis. This course is specifically tailored to those with a background in Medical Science, Medicine or Pathology who are studying or starting work in a haematology laboratory but also serves as a valuable continuing education resource. To be successful in this course, access to a haematology laboratory is desirable but not essential. This is not a textbook or a laborious examination of every blood film abnormality...
See More on Coursera3. Clinical Data Science
Are you interested in how to use data generated by doctors, nurses, and the healthcare system to improve the care of future patients? If so, you may be a future clinical data scientist!\n\nThis specialization provides learners with hands on experience in use of electronic health records and informatics tools to perform clinical data science. This series of six courses is designed to augment learner’s existing skills in statistics and programming to provide examples of specific challenges,...
See More on CourseraJob type you want
Full Time
Part Time
Internship
Temporary
Best States For a Clinical Laboratory Technician
Some places are better than others when it comes to starting a career as a clinical laboratory technician. The best states for people in this position are Alaska, California, Nevada, and Hawaii. Clinical laboratory technicians make the most in Alaska with an average salary of $76,388. Whereas in California and Nevada, they would average $68,991 and $61,255, respectively. While clinical laboratory technicians would only make an average of $61,079 in Hawaii, you would still make more there than in the rest of the country. We determined these as the best states based on job availability and pay. By finding the median salary, cost of living, and using the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Location Quotient, we narrowed down our list of states to these four.
1. Alaska
Total Clinical Laboratory Technician Jobs: 300
Highest 10% Earn:
$87,000
Location Quotient:
1.3
$76,388
Avg. Salary
2. Arizona
Total Clinical Laboratory Technician Jobs: 1,866
Highest 10% Earn:
$81,000
Location Quotient:
1.15
$60,872
Avg. Salary
3. New York
Total Clinical Laboratory Technician Jobs: 4,589
Highest 10% Earn:
$82,000
Location Quotient:
1.29
$58,323
Avg. Salary
How Do Clinical Laboratory Technician Rate Their Jobs?
Top Clinical Laboratory Technician Employers
Most Common Employers For Clinical Laboratory Technician
| Rank | Company | Average Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pacific Diagnostic Labs | $65,846 | $31.66 | 11 |
| 2 | Mount Sinai Health System | $61,470 | $29.55 | 27 |
| 3 | Guardian Healthcare | $60,613 | $29.14 | 25 |
| 4 | Roswell Park | $60,509 | $29.09 | 12 |
| 5 | Medical Diagnostic Laboratories | $60,068 | $28.88 | 17 |
| 6 | Albany Medical Center | $57,222 | $27.51 | 48 |
| 7 | Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings | $56,835 | $27.32 | 37 |
| 8 | WorldCare Clinical | $56,630 | $27.23 | 11 |
| 9 | NeoGenomics Laboratories | $56,226 | $27.03 | 15 |
| 10 | Monogram International | $55,771 | $26.81 | 12 |
Clinical Laboratory Technician Videos
Medical Laboratory Technician, Career Video from drkit.org
Medical Laboratory Technicians
Career Advice on becoming a Laboratory Technician by Katherine G (Full Version)
Becoming a Clinical Laboratory Technician FAQs
How Long Does It Take To Become A Clinical Laboratory Scientist?
It typically takes four to five years to become a clinical laboratory scientist. This position requires a bachelor's degree in clinical laboratory science and some experience in a healthcare or medical lab setting.
How Much Does A Clinical Laboratory Technician Make An Hour?
Clinical lab technicians typically make $30 an hour, on average. The salary for a clinical lab technician is typically between $45,000 and $65,000 a year with a national median salary for clinical laboratory technicians is around $61,000 in a year,
What Is The Difference Between A Clinical Lab Tech And A Medical Lab Tech?
The only difference between a clinical lab tech and a medical lab tech is the job title. These two professions involve the same training, job duties, and credentials.
Medical technologists and clinical laboratory scientists are trained healthcare professionals who collect medical samples and perform tests. They analyze body fluids, study blood samples, and discuss the results of tests with physicians.
What Qualifications Do You Need To Be A Lab Technician?
Qualifications you need to be a lab technician include degrees, certification, and in some cases, licensure.
Completing an accredited medical laboratory technician degree program is required. Candidates can find MLT programs at four-year institutions and community colleges. This is a two-year associate's degree in the field of medical lab technology. Some schools offer accelerated programs that can be completed in 65 to 75 weeks.
Have more questions? See all answers to common healthcare practitioner and technical questions.